[Company system] I took a refreshing vacation and tried various things

Hi everyone, this is Nagatani from the Systems Development Department.
I took advantage of our company's "refreshment leave" program in October to go sightseeing and have fun, so I'd like to share my experiences with you.
This article will have lots of photos, so please enjoy!

What is the Refreshment Leave System?

The Refreshment Leave is a leave system that employees who have been with the company for five years or more since being hired as full-time employees can take every five years.
Each leave is two weeks long, and an additional bonus of 100,000 yen is also provided.

For more details, please see the article below

https://beyondjapan.com/blog/2019/10/long-vacation/

Introduction

As this was a vacation that also served as our honeymoon, my wife was basically with me.
The concept for this vacation was to "go to various places, eat, drink, have fun, and relax," so instead of a long-term stay, we enjoyed going to various places.

Next up: Korea

After visiting the squirrel park, we headed to South Korea, the main event of our vacation.
We departed from Narita Airport and arrived at Incheon Airport after about two and a half hours. We then took a bus to Seoul, arriving around 3 PM. After checking into our hotel, our first stop was Gwangjang Market.

This traditional open-air market in Jongno-gu, Seoul was lined with many different stalls and was packed with people, especially since it was a holiday

I tried authentic tteokbokki at a food stall. It was chewy and delicious

I also went to a restaurant that specializes in yukhoe (Korean beef tartare).
Since I can't eat raw meat in Japan, it had been a while since I last had it, and it was incredibly delicious.
The sannakji (live octopus) was also very tasty (although its movements were a little gross).

On the second day, we went shopping in Myeongdong and saw NANTA

NANTA is a cooking-themed musical where they chop vegetables to the rhythm.
I did think it was a bit of a waste of ingredients, but the show itself was really entertaining.

After visiting Myeongdong, we went to eat samgyeopsal that night.
The authentic samgyeopsal was incredibly delicious.
We also ate so many other things that our stomachs were completely full! (lol)

On the third day, we went on a tour of the DMZ (Democratic Democratic Zone).
I learned a lot about the history of South and North Korea, and it was very educational.
I hope that North and South Korea can be reunified during my lifetime.

On the fourth day, I did some light souvenir shopping and then returned to Incheon Airport to fly back to Japan.
It was my first trip to Korea, but I was surprised by how many people could speak Japanese, which made it easy to get around.
The city was beautiful and the food was delicious, so I would like to go again if I have the chance.

After Korea, it's glamping in Chichibu

After enjoying our trip to South Korea, we relaxed at home for a day, and then went glamping in Chichibu.
My wife and I had been talking about wanting to go for quite some time, so we finally made it happen during this refreshing vacation.

I got to the site by taking the Chichibu Express and bus, and it was great that it was located in an area that was easily accessible by public transport

It was Halloween, so the decorations were Halloween-themed and it looked really stylish

The interior was decorated for Halloween, the rooms were clean and spacious, and it was a very comfortable space

As night fell, it was time for the much-anticipated barbecue.
The meat was incredibly tender and absolutely delicious.
Having a barbecue while listening to the sound of the river flowing was the best.

After the barbecue, we sat by the campfire and drank mulled wine.
Watching the fire calmed my mind, and I felt incredibly relaxed.
I think we probably stared at the fire in silence for almost two hours (lol).

There were also various other services, such as a planetarium installed in the room and hot sandwiches for breakfast, making it a very comfortable and satisfying experience.
I would love to go glamping again if I have the chance.

Lastly, we went to Disney Sea

The final event of my refreshing vacation was a trip to Tokyo DisneySea.
It had been about six years since my last visit.

The weather was great, and since it was a weekday during the off-season, there weren't too many people (although the average wait time was still around 70 minutes (lol)), so it
was very comfortable and enjoyable.

We secured a spot two hours before the show and were able to watch it from a special seat. It was powerful, beautiful and amazing

summary

This was the first time I'd taken such a long break since becoming a working adult, and I was able to travel to many different places and have a very meaningful time.
I'm incredibly grateful to my company for giving me this opportunity, and to my team members who worked hard to cover for me while I was away.
Thank you again!

That's all